Albert Pujols, the Los Angeles Angels slugger, reached the 3000 hit club and had become the 32nd player to join the club in the game against the Marines on Friday. Pujols played a single into the right field in the fifth innings against Mike Leake.
After walking in the second plate appearance on Friday night at the Seattle’s Safeco Field, Pujols marked his entry into the club when he signed a soft single into the right field off Leake. He later went on to single in the ninth inning, passing Roberto Clemente for No. 31 on the MLB’s career list. With two RBIs in the Angels’ 5-0 victory, Pujols finished with 2-for-4.
Pujols said that he was excited, but at the same time there still lies a game where one needs to play and stay focused to win the game. In a tweet on Friday, Angles teammate Mike Trout saluted Pujols by writing, “There’s only one Albert Pujols. The field and the game wouldn’t be the same without you.”
Pujols joins Hank Aaron, Alex Rodriguez and Willie Mays in the 3000 club. Pujols has now established a steady reputation as one of the best hitters of all time in the major league history. He is the fourth player in the four seasons this year to reach 3,000 hits after Rodriguez in the year 2015 and Ichiro Suzuki in the year 2016 and the Rangers’ Adrian Beltre being the most recent addition last summer.
Pujols, as well as Beltre, are the sole Dominican born players to have reached such a milestone.
Although the crowd was not at the Angel Stadium, they cheered surprisingly at Pujols’ achievement. Although Pujols’ production dropped down in the recent years, he still managed to put 140 or even more hits over the past few years with the Angels.
